Fighting fees

Charges on items including phone billsand credit cards can be avoided or reduced

Here are numerous fees and charges you can look to cut out, potentially saving hundreds of dollars a year.

Household bills

From small home-security firms and heating-oil-delivery services to major telecom providers, a growing number of companies are charging “manual billing” fees for sending paper bills and statements, sometimes up to $3.50 a month. Sign up for e-mail billing or check your statements online instead, and save up to $42 a year.

Homeowners and auto insurance can often be paid in installments, but spreading out the payments comes at a price. Fees vary, but expect $4 or $5 tacked on each month for installments, or up to $30 extra for a six-month policy.

Utilities, cable and Internet providers now commonly charge as much as $15 for making a payment over the phone – what Mierzwinski calls a “pay to pay” fee. These fees are often waived online, so set up your accounts on the company Web sites in case you have to make a last-minute payment.

Gift cards

Gift cards in the rack at your local supermarket can contain a rack of fees. For those with bank card logos such as MasterCard, Visa and American Express, you may pay purchase fees up to $6.95. There can also be separate charges for activation, ATM withdrawal and monthly maintenance if the card sits unused. Fees and regulations vary from state to state, so check the fine print on the packaging. Also check with your bank to see if it sells gift cards with lower fees.

Phone bills

Cell phone companies will charge up to $200 in “termination fees” if you cancel a contract early. Some prorate the fee to reflect the time left on the contract, but check your end date before switching services. If riding out your plan isn't an option, check out a contract trading service, such as Celltradeusa.com, ReCellular.com or Cellswapper.com, where someone else may bid to take over the remaining portion of your contract.

Telephone companies often charge separately for services such as voice mail, call waiting and caller ID, along with local and long-distance calling. Some of these features might duplicate service you have on your cell phone. Compare both bills, and cut out services you don't need.

Conversely, if you use a service and pay extra fees – such as roaming charges on your cell when you're traveling or if you've started texting frequently but still pay for each message – you may be able to save by adjusting your plan to one that includes more options.

Travel

Ask hotels and resorts if they charge fees for amenities such as fitness centers or pools when you make a reservation, and again when you check in, advises David Lytle, editorial director of Frommers.com. If you're not going to use certain facilities, negotiate with the hotel before you sign anything that allows them to bill your credit card, he advised.

When booking a flight, watch out for charges such as selecting an exit-row seat ($20 at AirTran Airways), seats with more legroom ($35 at Spirit Airlines) and even picking a seat in advance of the flight ($5 to $35 at Northwest Airlines). Wait until you get to the airport on the day of travel and you may be able to avoid fees like charges for certain seats.